Social media company Snap has hired Ajit Mohan as its president of APAC to lead its business in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
Mohan joined the Snapchat parent company from Facebook parent Meta, where he most recently served as vice president and managing director of India. Before that, he held other executive roles across the region, including one as CEO of Disney’s Hotstar, a Snap spokesperson told PYMNTS via email.
“Ajit’s leadership will help enable us to accelerate our growth across APAC, and we could not be more thrilled to have Ajit joining the Snap team,” Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said in a memo to the global Snap team that was provided to PYMNTS.
In his new role, Mohan will lead cross-functional efforts across the APAC region, oversee local operations and head Snap’s go-to-market strategy, according to the email.
Regional APAC sales teams will report to him as the new APAC president, similar to the global structure in the Americas and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, per the email.
Snap’s first president of EMEA — former Google UK managing director Ronan Harris — joined the company last month.
The APAC region contains 75% of the total addressable markets of smartphone users who are 13 years old or older and do not yet use Snapchat, the email stated.
“[Mohan is] a talented leader with a breadth of experience that will serve our community and partners in wonderful ways!” Spiegel said in the memo.
In a statement provided to PYMNTS, Meta Vice President of Global Business Group Nicola Mendelsohn said that Mohan decided to step down from his role at Meta to pursue another opportunity after playing an important role in shaping and scaling Meta’s India operations.
“We remain deeply committed to India and have a strong leadership team in place to carry on all our work and partnerships,” Mendelsohn said in the statement. “We are grateful for Ajit’s leadership and contribution and wish him the very best for the future.”
PYMNTS research has found that 43% of consumers in Australia — one of the markets encompassed in Mohan’s new role — report that they used their smartphones at least once during their shopping journeys during 2021.
That figure was up from just 29% a year earlier, and it is one percentage point higher than the average figure of 42% reported by consumers in six countries surveyed by PYMNTS for “The 2022 Global Shopping Index: UAE Edition,” a PYMNTS and Cybersource collaboration.
As the calendar flips to March, college basketball fans are gearing up for another exhilarating NCAA tournament.
In the future, artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology could change March Madness as we know it. Let’s break down how the digital revolution could transform the Big Dance.
AI is already being used to predict brackets. Gone are the days of agonizing over your picks based on team mascots or your alma mater’s colors. In 2025, AI-powered bracketology is the name of the game. Fans can use algorithms that crunch data points, from player statistics to historical upset probabilities, all at the click of a button.
But beware, bracket enthusiasts. While these AI tools promise to boost your chances of winning the office pool, they can’t account for the quintessential March Madness chaos. You know, the instance where AI can predict everything except the inevitable Cinderella story that ruins everyone’s bracket by the second round.
In a move that would be sure to ruffle some feathers, AI-generated commentary could be used for games. Digital play-by-play announcers would never need a bathroom break and potentially be able to recall obscure statistics from the 1957 tournament in an instant.
Can’t make it to the Final Four? Ten years from now, games might happen in a digital stadium, Forbes reported. With virtual reality (VR) technology, fans could experience the thrill of courtside seats from the comfort of their living rooms.
“AI-generated athletes, inspired by the procedural generation techniques of video game developers … could perform in virtual arenas, exhibiting strategies and plays conceived by advanced predictive algorithms,” Forbes reported.
Just be careful not to get too caught up in the moment with streaming. Wouldn’t want to have reports of fans attempting to rush the virtual court after buzzer-beaters have led to an uptick in living room injuries — especially when that flat screen falls over.
While human coaches still call the shots, AI assistants could one day be indispensable members of the coaching staff. In the next five years, these digital strategists could analyze opponent tendencies and more.
“Building on existing technologies … AI will provide coaches and players with intricate, multi-dimensional data patterns that dramatically enhance both offensive and defensive strategies,” Forbes reported. “These advanced algorithms will analyze vast datasets from numerous games to uncover hidden trends, strategic insights, and predictive cues about opponents’ potential moves.”
Say goodbye to controversial calls. Advanced computer vision systems could assist referees in making split-second decisions, from determining if a player’s toe was on the line for a three-pointer to detecting the slightest touch on a blocked shot.
The Hawk-Eye system is already used in tennis and cricket to help determine fouls, Viso.AI reported.
“This system uses a network of cameras to track the ball and then compares the trajectory of the ball to a virtual model of the playing surface,” the report said. “This system is accurate within a few millimeters, which is much more accurate than the human eye.”
As we dive into March Madness 2025, it’s clear that technology will change the way we experience the tournament. From AI-powered brackets to virtual reality arenas, the digital revolution is coming for basketball. But at its core, the magic of March Madness remains the thrill of competition, the joy of unexpected victories, and the heartbreak of last-second defeats.
So, whether you’re relying on an AI to pick your bracket this year, or screaming at a holographic referee in the future, remember to enjoy the ride. In the unpredictable world of college basketball, sometimes the best strategy is to embrace the madness — digital or otherwise.
For all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.